You might be wondering … what is Tucson Love Letter? Let me tell you

An introduction of sorts

October 1, 2025

by Gloria Knott

Tucson Love Letter founder Gloria Knott.

When I was 11, I decided to start my own magazine. It was called Glo Mag — and yes, my only reader was my mom.

At the time, Disney Channel was the most important thing in my world and I wanted nothing more than to catalog all the fun facts I had learned about my favorite stars. I opened up PowerPoint and wrote summaries of movies to be released (namely in the “High School Musical” series), my favorite celebrity couples (Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron, obviously) and the newest teen actors to grace my TV. I even created quizzes and included what I intended to be full-page posters, just like my beloved Tiger Beat.

My mom gave me one of her old headsets that I wore proudly, acting as though I was accepting important calls from big-name publicists. I taped a “quiet on set” sign on the door so my mom knew I was hard at work and shouldn’t be bothered.

Back then, I was mostly rewriting existing articles published by actual adults and downloading images from the internet (without giving any proper photo credit — yes, I’ll admit it). I’m not sure any of that could be called journalism, but Glo Mag is still engrained into my brain decades later.

Now I’m almost 30 and starting a real version of Glo Mag — except this time it’s actual journalism and it’s not about celebrity gossip.

My love letter to Tucson

I grew up in Tucson. I attended TUSD schools. I remember going to Skate Country every Monday in summer camp and I remember taking behind-the-scenes field trips to Reid Park Zoo. I tried my first flour tortilla at La Parrilla Suiza. In middle school, I visited Pop Cycle for the first time with my best friend (who is still my best friend today). In my twenties, I fell in love on a first date at Scented Leaf.

Memories of Tucson pack my brain — it’s the only place I’ve ever lived — but I actually wasn’t a fan of Tucson until my college years. I remember being a teenager returning home from a trip in Minneapolis, wishing Tucson was that green. I remember being a high schooler thinking there was absolutely nothing fun to do in Tucson.

But then I started studying journalism at the University of Arizona. I interned at several publications, all of which practically forced me to see the beauty of Tucson. I was handed assignments about Tucson’s mariachi conference, Blue Willow’s dinner specials, a mermaid parade along Fourth Avenue and pan dulce at La Estrella Bakery.

I very quickly fell in love with Tucson and never looked back.

Gloria’s first photo at the Arizona Daily Star, taken in 2018.

I graduated from the UA in 2018 and started working at the Arizona Daily Star a month later. In 2021, I became editor of the Star’s Tucson-loving publication #ThisIsTucson, which I love dearly.

Early this year, I decided I needed a break and I left the Star for a time of needed reflection. I’ve spent the last several months listening to audiobooks, putting together jigsaw puzzles, taking countless naps, painting doodles on my walls and watching the sparrows in my front yard.

But I’ve missed telling Tucson’s stories. I knew I wanted to find a way to tell those stories from a journalism lens, all while actively involving and collaborating with the people and businesses that make Tucson so special. More than that, I wanted to find a way to help the community financially. I wanted to find a way to give back to the city I love.

Welcome to Tucson Love Letter, y’all.

What exactly is Tucson Love Letter?

A community-first approach to tell stories that highlight Tucson’s diverse community, all from a journalism lens
A way to strengthen the community with collaborative and creative projects that benefit Tucsonans and small businesses
An outlet that gives back, where proceeds after overhead costs go toward helping Tucson organizations

Tucson Love Letter is built with a two-fold mission to help the community and Tucson’s small businesses. Every story and action is a love letter to the place we call home. Every story and action invests in our community.

Through the lens of journalism (our ethics policy is linked here) and a community-first approach, Tucson Love Letter will help you find your next favorite restaurant, an artist to support and something fun to do over the weekend. You’ll be inspired to explore the magic that is Tucson as we cover all the things that make our saguaro-studded Old Pueblo special.

I want to make it as easy as possible to love Tucson — through free-to-read stories, an email newsletter and social media, but also through ways like a months-long calendar, a database of community spaces, printable mural maps, physical events to help you find your people, and an open inbox for your niche Tucson-related questions (seriously, email us or slide into our DMs!).

Proceeds will be used to help keep Tucson Love Letter sustainable, paying livable wages to journalists. The remainder of the proceeds will go right back to the community. Tucson Love Letter’s money stays local.

With community at the heart of it all, I plan to work with neighbors by providing support to the people and places that make Tucson what it is. Beyond stories, this will include low-cost vendor and admission fees for events, monetary donations to local organizations, facilitating creative collaborations with small businesses, and brainstorming affordable ways to bridge financial gaps among community members. I will disclose the contributions I make so you know where every dime is going.

Ultimately, the goal is to help Tucson flourish — a Tucson where you’re never bored, a Tucson where you find community, a Tucson where local businesses are supported.

How to support Tucson Love Letter

I’m currently a one-woman show, launching Tucson Love Letter completely out of pocket. If you love what Tucson Love Letter is about, donations are incredibly helpful. Your contributions help Tucson Love Letter become sustainable. Your contributions allow me to continue important coverage about Tucson — which will always be free to read. Your contributions help me help our neighbors.

Gloria and her babies! November is pictured on the left, Beamer is on the right.

I have our business model laid out here, but to summarize: Tucson Love Letter’s revenue streams include contributions from the community, advertising, collaborations that run on a donation-basis, and future events and merchandise. I will use those funds to pay for overhead costs — think Quickbooks, vendor fees, flyer printing and salaries. Similar to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (which Tucson Love Letter currently is not), the remainder of the proceeds will go back into the community.

Beyond financial contributions, one of the best ways to support Tucson Love Letter is by simply reading our stories. By reading, sharing and following, you’re spreading a message to celebrate Tucson — and that’s our whole goal.

Here’s how to connect:

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook — I think our social media is pretty cool. Give us a follow! If you have a super niche Tucson question, our DMs are always open.
Sign up for our newsletter — Get a link to our event calendar, plus all of our stories and other community tidbits sent directly to your inbox once a week. It’s not spam, I swear!
Submit an event or story idea — Have a story tip or are you organizing a fun event happening next month? Know of a new restaurant or a mutual-aid group doing amazing things? Know of an artist who deserves a shoutout? We’re all ears.
Provide your feedback on all things Tucson — We have a community-first approach here, which means it’s important that community members be part of the conversation. Before I started Tucson Love Letter, I sought feedback from more than 80 Tucsonans about all the things they love and don’t love about Tucson. Tell us about the Tucson you see now and the Tucson you want to see in the future — your thoughts are helpful as Tucson Love Letter grows!
Make a financial contribution — Tucson Love Letter is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but our proceeds after overhead costs are donated to community organizations and small businesses who help Tucson thrive. Your donations help Tucson Love Letter become sustainable, allowing us to continue this work. Your donations help us help Tucson!